Surfacing machine



Feb. 19, 1529. 1 102521 W. OWEN SURFACI NG MACHINE Filed July 29, 1926 3 Sheets-$heet 1..

Feb. 19, 192

' OWEN SURFACING- MACHINE Filed July 29, 1926 =71.IZEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!! I I I I I I I I n 3 Sheets-Shet 'Fm g NVENTag I ,gz

'Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,521

W. OWEN SURFAG ING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM OWEN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SURFACING MACHINE.

Ap ueuon filed July 29,

The invention relates to surfacing machines, such as grinding and polishing maagainst lateral movement during such vertical movements, and without any variation in the position of the center line of the runner. A further object is the provision of improved means for cushioning the runner and governing the pressure upon the glass. Certain embodiments of theinvention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side-elevation, partially in section, showing one embodiment of the invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sections on the lines IIII and III-III respectively of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is an enlarged vertical section through the screw adjusting means employed in the Fig. 1 construction. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a modification. Fig. 6 is an enlarged section showing a detail of the Fig. 5 construction. And Fig. 7 is a section through a modification.

Referring to the Fig. 1 construction, 1 is a grinding'runner carried by a vertical spindle 2 and driven from the motor 3 through the pinion 4c, the gear 5 on the countershaft 6 and the bevel ears 6 and 6 (Fig. 2) carried re spectively y the countershaft and the spindle 2. The particular form of reduction gearing between the motor and the spindle 2 is immaterial in so far as the present invention is concerned,and any other suitable form of gearing may be employed. The runners which may be equipped with grinding or polishing means rotate over a series of tables 7 carried by the track 8 and supporting the sheets of glass which are to be ground-and polished. In operation, the tables or cars together form a continuous bed, which is moved slowly beneath the series of grinding and polishing machines. I

The surfacing apparatus is supported upon any suitable framework, the one shown including the beams 9, 10, 11, 11 and 11 to which is bolted the guide member 12, preferably in the form of a steel casting having the cross section indicated in Fig. 2. Mounted 1926. Serial No. 125,668.

for sliding vertical movement in this guide member is the carrier member 13 provided with two laterally projecting yokes 14 and 15, having the upwardly opening recesses 16 and 17 for receiving the pairs of trunnions 18 and 19. The trunnions project laterally from the bearing sleeve or casing 20, in which the spindle 2 is journaled. The caps 21 held in place by screws serve to hold the trunnions against accidental displacement from the recesses in which they are mounted.

The carrier frame 13 is yieldingly supported by means of the springs 22 and 23, which bear at their upper ends against the adjusting screw 24: threaded into the extension 25 projecting rearwardly from the carrier frame. The springs may be adjusted by means of the screw 26 threaded through the sleeve 27 and provided at its upper end with the support 28. The springs are enclosed by the casings 29 and '30, and an additional support is provided upon the interior of the springs in the form of the pin 31 projecting upwardly from the member 28 and integral therewith. The sleeve 27, which takesthe thrust of the screw is supported in the bearing 32 carried by the beam 11 constituting a part of the framework of the machine. This sleeve has keyed to its lower end a bevel gear 33 meshing with the gear 34carried by the shaft 35. The shaft 35* is mounted in suitable bearings, as indicated in Fig. 1 and is driven from the motor 36 through the pinion 37 and gear 38, which latter is keyed to the shaft 35. The motor 36 operating through the gearing, as just described,

and the screw 26 serve to vary the pressure which the springs 22 and 23 exert upon the carrier frame 13, tending to lift it. By this means, the pressure of the runner 1 upon the glass may be adjusted to suit requirements and when necessary the runner may be entirely lifted free from the glass. In case any replacement is required in the surfacing unit, as for instance, the replacement of therunner bars, or a repair of the driving parts, the entire unit is lifted from the yokes 14: and 15 by means of an overhead crane, whose cable or chain is attached tothe eye bolt 39. Spare units are kept in reserve, and while the one unit is being repaired, another one may be positioned by the crane, so that little time is lost in making the replacement.

- Provision is thus made for a very ready replacement of the units without loss of time, and at the same time, the parts, after being assembled, are securely maintained in position with the center line of the spindle always in correct alignment with the center line of the track and tables, regardless of the vertical adjustment of the surfacing unit. At certain stages of the grinding operation, it is desirable to apply a great amount of pressure to the glass, and the present construction permits of the application, not only of the weight of the runner and the motor, with their associated parts, but also of the carrier frame 13, which consists of a heavy steel casting, so that considerable additional weight is in this manner applied to the grinding operation.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modification in which the motor 59 for driving the spindle 60 is mounted upon the beams constituting a part of the framework of the machine instead of being mounted upon the sleeve in which the spindle is j ournaled, as in the other type of construct-ion. The motor is seated upon a suitable base 41 and drives the spindle 60 through the intermediary of the gears 42, 43, 44 and 45 and the countershaft 46. The spur gear 45 meshes with the elongated pinion 44 so that the gears are maintained in mesh as the runner moves up and down. In this construction, a carrier frame 47 is employed corresponding throughout to the carrier frame 13 of Fig. 1. This car 'ier frame is yieldingly supported by the spring 48 carried upon the screw 49, as in the other type of construction, and the motor drive for raising and lowering the screw is similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1, so that no further description is necessary. The sleeve 50 in which the spindle is ournaled, is also provided with two sets of trunnions 51 and 52, as in the other type of construction, such pinions fitting into suitable recesses in the laterally projecting yokes-forming a part of the carrier frame 47. In order to make the disengagement of the gear 45 from the gear 44 more convenient when the driving unit is removed, the trunnions 51 are preferably mounted and supported, as indicated in detail in Fig. 6. The recesses in which the trunnions are mounted in this arrangement open laterally, as well as upwardly, and the trunnions are held in position by means of the clamps 53 having the inturned ends 54 and 55. The clamps are held from endwise movement by means of the bolts 56. l Vhen these bolts are removed, the clamps may be slid endwise until they are disengaged from the end of the yoke and from the trunnions 51. The gear 45 is preferably provided with a housing 57, and this housing carries the eye bolt 58, to which the cable or chain of the overhead crane is attached when it is desired to remove the surfacing unit from position and replace it by another unit. In some cases, it is advantageous to have the motor'independent of the surfacing unit, and in such cases, the arrangement of Figs. 5 and 6 meets the requirement.

Fig. 7 illustrates a still further modification. Here the gear casing 61 is mounted on the carrier frame 62, and in turn supports the motor 63. The runner spindle 64 is driven through the intermediary of the pinion 65 on the motor shaft 66, the spur and bevel gears 67 and 68 on the countershaft 69, the bevel and spur gears 70 and 71 on a vertical countershaft, and the spur gear 7 2 on the snindle. Above the upper bearing 73 of the spindle is the gear casing 74 and such casing is releasably secured to the casing 60 by bolts, not shown. The bearing 73 is provided with trunnions 7 5 seated in recesses in the arm 76 of the carrier frame 61, and a similar bearing at the lower end of the spindle is similarly supported from another arm carried by the frame 62. An eye bolt 77 is swiveled to the upper end of the spindle. lVhen the casing 74 is removed, the spindle and runner can be removed without disturbing the motor 63 or the gearing in the casing 60.

"What I claim is:

1. In combination in a surfacing machine, a supporting framework provided with a vertical guideway, a carrier frame mounted for vertical sliding movement on said guideway and provided with supporting means, resilient adjustable means opposing the down.- ward movement of the carrier frame, avertical sleeve having means adapted to seat on said supporting means and hold the sleeve against lateral and turning movement, but freely removable therefrom, a runner spindle journaled in the sleeve, a runner secured to the lower end of the spindle below the sleeve, and a drive member secured to the spindle above the sleeve.

2. In combination in a surfacing machine, a supporting framework provided with a vertical guideway, a carrier frame mounted for vertical sliding movement on said guideway and provided with supporting means, a surfacing unit removably seated on said supporting means and comprising a sleeve, a vertical spindle journaled in the sleeve, a runner carried by the spindle, and driving means for the spindle, and adjustable yielding means opposing the downward movement of the carrier frame.

3. In combination in a surfacing machine, a supporting framework provided with a vertical. guideway, a carrier frame mounted for vertical sliding movement on said guideway and provided with supporting means, a surfacing unit removably seated on said supporting means and comprising a sleeve, a vertical spindle ournaled in the sleeve, a runner carried by the spindle, and a motor geared to the spindle, and adjustable yielding means opposing the downward movement of the carrier frame.

4. In combination in a surfacing machine, a supporting framework provided with a vertical guideway, a carrier frame mounted for vertical sliding movement on said guideway and provided with supporting means, a surfacing unit removably seated on said supporting means and comprising a sleeve, a vertical spindle journaled in the sleeve, a runner carried by the spindle, and driving means for the spindle, a vertical adjusting screw carried by the framework, a spring support upon the screw, and a spring carried by the support and exerting upward pressure upon the carrier frame.

5. In combination in a surfacing machine,

a supporting framework provided with a vertical guideway, a carrier frame mounted for vertical sliding movement on said guideway and provided with supporting means, a surfacing unit removably seated on said supporting means and comprising a sleeve, a

vertical spindle journaled in the sleeve, a run-- ner carried by the spindle, and driving means for the spindle, a vertical adjusting screw carried by the framework, 3, spring support upon the screw, a spring carried by the support and exerting upward pressure upon the carrier frame, and a motor and connections for raising and lowering, the screw.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of July, 1926.

WILLIAM OWEN. 

